This Could Be The Place
by 07654
Summary: Rory and Jess on the road to domesticity.
1. Chapter 1

You were very kind about my last story, so I thought I'd give it some back story. Let me know what you think :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore Girls or anything to do with Gilmore Girls goodbye

* * *

He was three days into the intense state of seclusion that always accompanied the brainstorming stage of starting a new book, typing absently and considering leaving his room in search of a cigarette when his phone rang. He huffed, frustrated, and pulled the cell from the back pocket of his jeans.

"Hello?" He didn't even register the caller ID, figuring it would be one of his friends inquiring when he would be leaving hibernation and coming out for a drink with them. Or maybe that girl from the Italian restaurant who occasionally dragged him back to her apartment when he and his friends were dining late. He really shouldn't have given her his number.

"Jess? It's Luke."

"Oh." The gruff voice of his uncle was the last thing he was expecting. "Hey, Uncle Luke. What's up?"

"Where have you been?" Luke ignored his greeting. "I tried this number at least 4 times yesterday."

"Why didn't you leave a message?"

"I don't leave messages." He sounded horribly uncomfortable. "Plus, I needed to speak to you properly."

"What's up?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"Whatever, Luke. What's up?"

"I, um. Don't freak out okay?" This had to be bad. "So, I proposed to Lorelai. Again. But you already knew that, right? Yeah you did, you came down that weekend."

"Spit it out, Luke."

"Right. Well she's keen to get married as soon as possible. In two weeks, actually."

"Woah, did you knock her up or something?"

"No, shut up." A pause. "You have to be my best man."

"What?!" The younger man cut in immediately.

"Come on Jess, you really owe me."

"N-"

"It's you or TJ. Help me out."

"Luke-"

"Thank you so much Jess, I really appreciate it."

"Wait, Luke!"

"I've got to go. I'll let you know the details. And keep your phone on!"

Jess held the phone to his ear long after the line went dead, his eyes following the bouncing graphic of his laptop's screensaver.

"Shit."

The message tone on his phone made him start.

 _"No bachelor party required but you have to give a speech, Lorelai's orders. I'll let you skip the tux."_

"Shit."

* * *

The prospect of seeing _her_ again didn't even dawn on him until he was driving into Stars Hollow a day before the wedding, conceding to his best man role with the promise of grossly inflated pay at the diner and Luke's empty apartment to hide in whenever necessary. He hung out of his teenage bedroom window, smoking and surveying the busy streets below as they were transformed for tomorrow's event. It seemed that half of the town had been deployed to help arrange flowers or set up dining chairs and one quarter of square was transformed into a raised, wooden dance floor. At one point he even spotted Dean Forester arguing with Kirk whilst unloading tables and felt so eighteen again that he had to reach for another cigarette out of his jacket pocket.

He cursed himself for still being so highly tuned in to his high school ex-girlfriend as his eyes instantly snapped onto her a few moments later. Speakers had been set up and honorary DJ Lane was blasting an old Bruce Springsteen song as Rory danced across the road, dressed in a white sun dress and silver sandals. She held a ring binder under one arm and her mother's laced through the other, their raucous laughter filling the small town square.

They had shared one phone call and a long chain of text messages since she'd walked out of his open house six months ago and although the air was effectively cleared, there was still a little pain and bitterness on his end. There was also a tinge of something else in his stomach every time her name appeared on his phone.

As she skipped her way towards the diner he thought that for now it was best to stay upstairs.

* * *

They were forced together at the rehearsal dinner, for which he switched his old tshirt for a white dress shirt and fresh jeans, planning to make the most of the open bar and hide behind the book he had shoved in his back pocket on his way out the door. The plan was working perfectly for fifteen minutes before his paper back was suddenly whipped out of his hands.

"Hey." Rory exhaled, flopping into the seat next to him which had been mercifully left vacated until this point. "Your step dad is a little intense. Mind if I sit?"

"It's a little late to say no", He deadpanned, eyeing her as she got comfortable, his gaze raking over the short, lavender dress that wrapped around her lissom flame. Her shoes were higher and more sparkly than anything he'd seen her wear before, making her petite legs look miles long. "And yeah, the first time I met TJ I lasted like, 4 minutes before walking out."

She just smiled at him, combing fingers through glossy hair.

"I passed him on to Luke as quickly as possible."

Jess surveyed his uncle who was looking disdainfully at his brother-in-law, watching as Rory accepted a huge glass of white wine from one of Kirk's bartenders.

"How's life?" She asked.

"Fine." He replied. This was the moment when he decided whether he wanted to be friendly or cool and callous like his better judgement was begging him too. He knew that with her, however, that never really worked out. He continued, "It's good, actually. I've started writing again."

"Really?" The way her eyes lit up made his pulse jump, "That's so exciting, Jess! You know I read the first one 600 times?"

"Only 600? I think Matt and Chris have read it like 601 times each, so.."

"601 when I take it with me on the flight to Paris next month", she grinned cheekily. "I love it, it's so good."

"Yeah, you mentioned that once or twice." He let his eyes roam the cosy dining room of the Dragonfly, deflecting the praise as a comfortable silence fell between them. He wanted to ask.

After a few minutes, he worked up some courage.

"So, uh, where's the boyfriend tonight?"

"Oh, no. No boyfriend. We broke up, a little after I saw you last." She cleared her throat, looking down at her manicured nails and then back at him as he silently probed with his eyes, "He asked me to marry him. I said no."

He didn't push anymore, trying to quash the alarming surge of elation that rose in his chest. She picked up the tattered book she had placed on the table.

"Charles Dickens?" She laughed lightly at his shrug, "Some things never change."

He leaned back slightly and let himself observe her openly whilst she was distracted, waving at her arriving grandparents.

"Yeah, some things never change."

It was intense for a second, blue eyes meeting brown in the romantically lit evening, he almost felt himself leaning towards her. He cleared his throat and broke the gaze, rerolling the sleeve of his shirt that was hanging loosely.

"So- uh- you mentioned Paris?"

* * *

He provided his service as best man with reluctance but success, protecting Luke's cuff links from loss or harm, providing him with beers and making sure his tie was straight. Stars Hollow church was decorated in true Lorelai style, bursting with foamy white streamers, paper bunting and pink ribbons that spilled out onto the town square.

Rory's speech, two pages long and delivered like a true high school valedictorian, recalled her favourite moments from the turbulent journey that was Lorelai and Luke, making the crowd laugh and her mother cry. Jess was having trouble controlling his shaking hands by the time it came to his turn. He chugged the glass of red wine that he was gripping and stood, dragging a finger under his collar which suddenly felt too tight.

"I'm not even going to try and compete with that and, um, I'm more of a writer than a speaker but Luke, I definitely speak on the behalf of several people here when I say that I truly don't know where I would today be if I didn't have you around to kick my ass from time to time." A bubble of laughter came from the crowd, "You're so consistently selfless and I think it's about time you got something so...good." His eyes briefly rested on the glowing woman hanging on his uncle's right arm, "Call it, like, karma or fate whatever but I'm glad you two have finally got it together. Congratulations." He ducked his head and sat back down quickly, trying to hide the fact that he was blushing in embarrassment from the murmur of applause and clinking glasses coming from the square. He couldn't hide it from Rory.

"That was nice." Her smile was dreamy, probably a result of the half empty champagne glass that hung loosely from her fingers. "You should write speeches for Obama."

"Ha-ha", he turned to face the crowd, "I'm just glad my job is over."

"I'm so happy", she leaned back precariously in her chair, "Aren't you so happy, Jess?"

"You're so drunk", he corrected straightforwardly, his hand automatically going to her back to steady her. Her dress was golden and floaty and fanned out behind her when she moved. Her shoulders were left uncovered and he tried not to take in too much marble skin with greedy eyes. He continued, "and I'm- I don't know. I'm fine. I'm thinking about how I'm going to have to open the diner with a sore head tomorrow."

"I am _not_ , drunk! You are happy and you still have one more obligation." He eyed her curiously. "Dance with the maid of honour?"

"Isn't the guy supposed to ask the girl to dance?"

"Yeah well I'm a modern woman." She shook off the hand that was still lingering on her shoulder blade, slightly deflated, "And I know you well enough to know that would never happen."

He sighed, setting his drink down on the table and stood, offering her his hand.

"Dance with me."

"Is that a question or an order?" She couldn't hide her smile.

"It's going to be a nothing if you don't stand up within five seconds."

* * *

Stars Hollow, with it's self inflicted 9pm curfew and town mayor who should probably be in a religious cult, apparently knew how to throw quite the party. The bride and groom had cut early to make their flights to Glasgow shortly after the speeches were over, drunken guests reigning confetti over Luke's truck as they drove away from the party. Lorelai had watched Jess and Rory rotate on the dance floor, laughing and pressing close to one another with an equal mix of amusement and alarm. She was pulled away by Luke before she could interrogate her daughter further.

As Lane became sufficiently inebriated and the romantic, slow music morphed into classic rock and 80s pop, Rory and Jess returned to their seats at the empty top table, people watching and catching up on the past six months with their heads bent dangerously close together. She told him about her job at the New Haven paper and he found himself obsessed with the way her blue eyes, pink lips and white teeth looked in the golden light of the evening, how she gesticulated wildly and smiled with her whole face when she was giddy on champagne and the atmosphere. She also enjoyed how much he talked now he was grown up, still sarcastic and shy but calmer somehow, his countenance easy and rid of heavy, teenage anger. He spoke about his friends and their work and shocked her when he admitted his abhorrence for Philly cheese steaks. Sparks danced across her skin as he brushed his hand up her arm during a story or placed his suit jacket over her chilly, bare shoulders as the sun went down.

By midnight she was sober and when she caught his eyes flickering down to her mouth for the tenth time in two minutes she could no longer kid herself that it was just the alcohol.

"Hey", she grabbed his hand with a surge of confidence, "Do you want to get out of here?"

He was to stunned to voice his absolute support for the idea but she was already pulling him away from the party before he could form a coherent thought. He trailed her closely, eyes fixated on the movement of her dress with their ten fingers twined, until they came to a halt in front of the diner. They held eye contact for a loaded ten seconds before she went up on her tiptoes and kissed him, her palms resting on his shoulders. Her eyes were closed when he pulled away, swaying slightly on the balls of her feet.

"Are you drunk?" He whispered, his voice strained.

"No."

"And there's really no boyfriend?"

"No boyfriend."

He kissed her again, harder, hungrily, the way he had wanted to all evening with his hands bunching the material of her dress at her waist. Her arms hooked around his neck and it was a mutual decision, a sigh of relief, when he pulled her into the darkened diner and up the stairs, never disconnecting his mouth from her skin.


	2. Chapter 2

From the night of the wedding, Rory and Jess embarked on a turbulent, 9 month relationship filled with fiery arguments and even more passionate make ups.

Rory's job meant she was often distracted and too busy to call. He was still too quiet and private. He would watch as she ranted and yelled and fell asleep with her back to him. The ice would melt when she woke up to an empty bed but an apology on the opposite pillow, a new book or a cup of coffee.

They struggled through the separation of states, alternating visits between New Haven and Philadelphia. When Rory arrived at Jess's on her fourth weekend trip, she smiled as familiar voices drifted down the road from the tall brownstone bookshop. It was unseasonably warm for fall and the door was held open with a thick, yellowing book.

She hurried up the steps as best as she could in her works shoes and quietly knocked on the ajar door, still not totally comfortable around Jess's tight knit group of friends. They were creative and cool and although they were warm she often felt out of place with her office job, high waisted skirts and button up blouses. As she entered, Matthew was reclined behind the desk with his bare feet propped up against the register, a beer in either hand.

"Hey!" He threw both arms above his head, obviously tipsy. "It's Rory! Anna, it's Rory!"

Matthew's long term girlfriend Anna poked her head from around the storeroom door. She was quick witted and pretty, with dark skin and wild hair that had been at least three different colours since they met three months ago.

"Hey, Rory! You look fancy."

"Oh yeah, I had to come straight from work." She shifted her weight in her uncomfortable shoes, eyeing the festive banners decorating the cash register. "What's the occasion?"

"Tom's 25th", replied Anna, referring to the quiet art major who had joined the Truncheon staff several months ago. "We're all going out tonight."

"Do you want a beer?"

"Sure, thanks." Rory accepted one of the bottles from Matt's outstretched arm. "And that sounds good. I might go and change first, though."

"Don't!" Anna exclaimed. "You look hot."

"Listen to the woman." Jess's voice came from behind her as he thundered down the stairs, arms curling around Rory's waist. "You look hot. Hi."

"Hi", Rory grinned and leaned back into his chest, closing her eyes blissfully as kisses were pressed on every bit of neck in his reach. He could almost make her forget that they weren't the only two in the room. Almost.

"Excuse me", Chris cleared his throat as he walked out of the back office, Tom under one arm and an impressively large bottle of champagne in the other, "No foreplay in the workplace, love birds. Let's go."

Rory blushed furiously and made an awkward beeline upstairs to Jess's bedroom to a chorus of laughter and wolf whistles, her boyfriend's arms still locked shamelessly around her middle. Despite his protests, she switched her tight dress for mom jeans and Birkenstocks before accepting Jess' hands and letting him pull her to the pub.

* * *

Rory was always still stunned by how many people Jess and his friends seemed to know in Philadelphia, a constant stream of randoms joining and leaving the group's table. He was more lively and social than he was when they were younger and she felt comfortable in the lively atmosphere with Jess' arm slung around her shoulders or his warm palm on her knee. By midnight, Chris had disappeared with the blond he was perusing around the room whilst Rory and Anna had declared themselves best friends for life. Jess managed to pull her away from the booth at 2 am, half leading half carrying her back to the apartment.

They made it three blocks before she tripped over her own flipflops and landed on her butt, grazing her palms on the ground. She looked up at him like a hurt toddler with a glassy eyes and a trembling bottom lip.

"Jeez." He pulled her up from the concrete and crouched a little, offering her a piggy back, "get on." Her injury was quickly forgotten about as she jumped up gladly and laced her arms around his shoulders, singing loudly and off key into his neck.

When they finally made it back she managed to undress and fall into his bed in her underwear, silly and uncooperative as he readied her for sleep. He took a warm wash cloth and wiped away the traces of makeup that he knew she hated sleeping in.

"Why do I keep forgetting that you're a difficult drunk to deal with? I swear we're going tee total first thing tomorrow." He handed her the 'Stars Hollow High' gym t-shirt that she still slept in, shrunken and faded due to years of washing. When she just starred the proffered garment, he sighed and helped her pull it over her body before gentling her onto the mattress, surprised when she went down without a fight.

"Wow, you must be drunk. You haven't even tried to come onto me."

"I totally accosted you in the rest room, it's not my fault you didn't go for it." She pointed at him lazily, her eyes drooping as she spoke.

Grinning and climbing into bed beside her, his face easily found it's favourite spot amongst her hair. "Get some sleep, Ror. I'll have coffee and a shower ready in the morning."

She was already snoring lightly.

* * *

Even when she was woozy and a little hungover, Jess thought that there was nothing better than finding Rory sat deliciously sleepy and pliable among his sheets every morning when he got back from his run. Pulling off his sweaty t-shirt, he took in her heavy eyelids and crumpled bangs with a smirk.

"Good morning, sunshine."

"Mmm, gimmie." She reached greedily for the take away coffee cup he offered her, drinking deeply before placing it on the set of drawers. "Thanks."

"My pleasure." He crawled into bed beside her and pushed messy hair out of her eyes, grinning, "You look nice."

"Don't even touch me, you're sweaty and disgusting." She swatted his hand away but allowed herself to be cuddled into his bare chest, leaning them both against the headboard. "I can't believe I'm dating a runner. I mean someone who _runs._ _Voluntarily_ runs."

"What's wrong with running?" He rubbed one hand up and down her arm.

"Teenage Jess would have kicked your ass if he saw those pink running shoes and tiny shorts you wear to the gym. And he wouldn't have ran anywhere unless chased", she giggled into his shoulder.

"First of all they're red, and teenage Jess didn't know what he was talking about. He also would never have run from anything. I'm not afraid."

Rory rolled her eyes and manoeuvred herself so she was sat in his lap, hands cupping his face. He grinned and grabbed her hips, re-positioning her weight to where he wanted it. Wiggling against him, she placed her lips against his ear and whispered seductively.

"You can pretend to be a big, strong man but please remember that I know the swan story."

"Shit", he groaned, dropping his forehead against her shoulder. "I so regret telling you that _._ "

She giggled against his hair as he kissed her neck leisurely. Leaning forward as if to kiss him, she stopped millimetres before their lips touched.

"I'm going to go brush my teeth and drink my coffee then we can continue this," she whispered.

"You're such a tease."

She winked cheekily at his groan before sliding off his lap, avoiding his grabby hands and picking up her coffee as she ran to the bathroom. He sat back and listened to her move about the ensuite, smiling suddenly.

"I bet you didn't do this to Dean!" He called into the empty room. "Get him all wound up and then start worrying about your hangover breath?"

He heard her choke on toothpaste before skidding back into the room, eyes blazing as she wiped damp hands on her shirt.

"I thought I banned you from mentioning that name ever again?" At his chuckle she planted angry fists on slim hips. "Oh, I'm glad you find my anguish so amusing."

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." He fell back into the pillows with a belly laugh, "that's just my _absolute_ favourite thing to make fun of you for." When she still didn't move he sat and reached out for her, laughter still sparkling in his eyes. "I'm sorry, baby. Come here."

She reluctantly trudged over to where he lay but yielded as he pulled her down next to him, nose to nose and sharing a pillow.

"You brought up the swan thing, for like, the fifteenth time since I told you. What did you expect?"

"You're so mean to me."

"You like it."

She rolled her eyes but accepted the kiss he leaned in for.

"I think we should break up", she whispered, tracing his face with her fingertips.

He pushed his hands under her shirt and kissed her again.

"Can we hold off on that for like, an hour?" Another kiss, deeper this time.

"Yeah, sounds good." She allowed herself to be pulled back under the covers.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Early spring in Philadelphia brought with it a hopeful promise of greenery and warmth after a particularly bitter winter. Unfortunately, Jess Mariano was feeling none of this optimism.

"I swear", Jess groaned, slamming the phone down and slumping back into his office chair, "if that _fucking_ idiot calls me again today, I'll set myself on fire."

Across the room, Chris snickered, looking up from a stack of paperwork to where his coworker was massaging his temples, "He's a real treat isn't he? I'm so glad you lost that 'who should deal with the needy poet' poker game."

"It wasn't poker, it was Jenga", called Matthew from the adjoined front of house, "Stop trying to make us sound cooler than we are." The third man joined them in the open plan office, "It's dead out there, we've had four customers since nine and one of them was Chris's mom."

"Chris's mom is hot", Jess contemplated, nearly falling out of his chair trying to avoid the dictionary that was promptly hurled at his head.

The phone rang again.

"No!" Jess dragged both hands down his face, drawing out the syllable "I don't even have to check. I know it's him. I'm not answering."

"Oh yes you are", commanded Matt, the constant voice of reason, "He's annoying but he sells well and I need to buy Anna's mom a fancy birthday present next month. Pick up the damn phone."

Groaning again, Jess plucked the offending handset off it's cradle and pressed it to his ear, anticipating the unpleasant Mississippi drawl of their most recently signed writer.

"What do you want now?" He snapped, ignoring the barking laugh coming from Chris' desk.

"Oh, um, Jess?", A distinctly familiar, female voice greeted him instead.

"Rory?" His grimace quickly transformed into a grin as he removed the hand which had gone to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Hey. Sorry, I wasn't expecting you to call."

"Yeah- Look, are you busy? I really need you. To speak to you. I couldn't get you on your cell." Her recognised her shaky voice as the one that followed a particularly severe bout of tears.

"Rory?" He sat up straighter, "What's wrong?"

"I, um. I-" He could hear hiccuping sobs through surfacing through the crackly connection but no answer came.

"You're scaring me, babe. Rory? Just tell me what's wrong."

She slowly began to speak and his eyes widened and widened again as she choked through an elaborate story about vomiting, a missed period and two Walmart EPTs.

"You're pregnant?" He blurted, interrupting her rambling. He saw Matt and Chris' heads snap up in his peripheral.

"Yeah." A heaving sigh. "I think so? I mean, it's early but all signs point to yes and the test was cheap but extensive googling tells me they're pretty accurate." There was silence on either end of the phone. "Please say something Jess, I'm so sorry. I know we're only 23 and this wasn't what we planned but-"

"Rory! Stop a second, where are you?"

"Washington." Her voice was small.

"State or DC?"

"What would I be doing in Washington State?"

"I dunno", he replied, trying his best to calm her down, he needed to stop her crying, "You felt like doing some hunting? You love Sleepless in Seattle?"

"Oh yeah, you know me and Tom Hanks." He was relieved to hear her laughing weakly, although he himself felt as if his heart might explode, "I'm in the city, for work. I know you're busy this week but can you- can you come here?"

"Text me the address of your hotel, okay? Don't even worry about it, I'll take the train." He battled to keep his voice even.

"Okay", she sniffled, "Get here quickly." After a moment, "I love you."

"Sit tight, I'll see you soon." He let the phone slide to the floor as he folded forward and dropped his head on the desk.

"Jesus." He could barely hear his own voice over the blood hammering through his ears. "Jesus Christ."

"Jess, dude." He felt a light palm on his back, "Try not to freak out." Matt removed his hand as if burnt at the look of reproach Jess shot over his shoulder.

"We haven't even been back together for a _year_ , Matthew. A baby? Me, a father? Are you kidding me?"

"It's _Rory_ , Jess. You love Rory, we love Rory. This does not have to be a bad thing."

"Rory's probably having twice the panic attack you are", Chris contributed, "you need to stay calm and get your ass the hell out of here."

At the mention of her name, he snapped out of his daze and jumped up without another word, grabbing his backpack and shouting as he jogged towards the stairs, "I'm stealing a change of clothes."

"Wow." Chris still sat frozen at his desk chair, "First baby drama of the group. I'm surprised it took this long."

"That was some heavy shit." Matthew wiped a hand over his face, sitting down heavily in Jess' abandoned chair.

"He better not steal my underwear. Did you hear him call her 'babe'? That was pretty disturbing."

They both shut up as Jess reentered the room, his eyes wild. He opened and closed his mouth before half apologising and leaving quickly to a chorus of shouts from his co-workers.

"Good luck!"

"Love you!"

"Call us when you get there!" Yells came from the office as the door swung shut. "Shotgun not picking up that poet whilst you're gone!"

* * *

It took him exactly three hours and thirty minutes to arrive outside her hotel. He had bitten his nails down until they were raw and painful before he even found a seat on the train, whilst his anxious brain begged him for one of the cigarettes that he realised with an audible curse he had left in his bed side dresser. He clicked and unclicked the black biro he carried with him until the woman sat opposite him politely asked him to stop, at which point he began drumming his fingers wildly on the fold away table. He went over Matt's words in his head. _This does not have to be a bad thing._

He raked and re-raked his fingers through his hair as the snooty man on reception eyed him suspiciously. He practically sprinted to her door.

"Hey", he greeted her when she cracked it open, almost doubled over, his smoker's lungs struggling after the short run.

"You're here", she responded, opening the door fully and clamping a hand over her mouth as a fat tear slipped down her cheek, "I'm sorry- I just- I was so-"

Needing to hear nothing more, he gathered her up into his arms and quietly shut them in with his foot. After 5 minutes of rocking and gentle shushing he pulled away slightly to look at her face.

"Hey." Her face was red, blotchy and _terrified._ He gave his best attempt at a half smirk. "Just FYI, there's no way we're calling it Lorelai."

He was here. He wasn't going anywhere. He was letting her know.

 _This does not have to be a bad thing._

She understood, choking back another sob and mashing her face into his sternum as he murmured into her hair.


	4. Chapter 4

I dunno how long I'll continue this, but it's continuing 4 now.

Disclaimer: I still dont own gilmore girls.

* * *

It only took a month for Rory to pack up her life in New Haven, leave her neat, airy studio flat and settle into Jess' cosy, two bedroom apartment in Philadelphia. He had moved out of the shoe-box above Truncheon four months after Rory had visited him for the first time, desperate for his own place where they could be truly alone and intimate, finally able to cook her breakfast or watch a movie without Chris or Anna deciding to slide in between them on the couch. He loved his friends fiercely, but they really needed to develop boundaries.

Rory was lucky to find a good, well paid position at a liberal political magazine that was willing to hire a pregnant girl and hold the job over maternity leave due to her impressive resume. She had hurried to Truncheon after her interview, excited to share the good news with her boyfriend.

She burst through the book shop door at 6pm, teetering in heels with her leather satchel swinging from one arm to be greeted by Matthew, Chris and their newest Jenny conversing around the front desk. "Jess? Oh, sorry guys."

"Hey, no problem. Jess just ran out for new printer ink." Matt set down the note pad they had been pouring over and gestured for her to join them. She made her way across the shop, shedding her grey cardigan and adjusting her tight skirt as she went.

"What are you guys working on?" Rory asked, gesturing to the stack of paper on the table top.

"Trying to write new bios for our authors", explained Matt. "Jess has requested we write that he resides in Philadelphia with his 'girlfriend and young daughter'. Care to explain?"

Rory blushed, "He seems to know something I don't."

"Nice outfit, by the way. How was the interview?" Asked Jenny, hopping off of the stool that she was perched on. The energetic blonde was friendly and smart and the two girls had become fast friends.

"It went well. Really well, actually. They pretty much offered me the position on the spot." She blushed at their collective cheers and calls for celebratory drinks, accepting warm hugs and fixing shy eyes on the strappy heels she wore. The boys politely shooed away straggling customers and shut down shop immediately, Chris slinging an arm around Rory's shoulders and steering the group towards the pub. He promised to buy non-alcoholic cocktails whilst offering her a lift on his back after the stressful day in her 'condition'.

"Christopher Jackson! Hands off my woman!" Jess's voice came from behind them as they crossed the street, jogging to catch up with his friends. Rory just threw her head back in laughter, basking in the fact that her in her new city, with her new friends that had quickly become like family, she felt more at home than she ever did in New Haven.

* * *

She and Jess had celebrated her new job in their own way after midnight when they finally made it home from the bar. He caught his breath laying half on top of her with his face pressed between her neck and the pillow, lips tickling the skin there. She giggled at his characteristic love for cuddling, despite the cool nonchalance that he pulled on with his skinny jeans each morning. He kissed her cheek wetly and let one arm drift down her bare torso, drawing tiny circles on her belly.

"How have you been feeling today?" He drawled.

"Better", she smiled as he moved down to rest his cheek lightly on her still-flat stomach. "I only threw up once around lunchtime. I don't know why they call it morning sickness if I am consistently vomiting well into the afternoon."

He hummed absently, tracing his index finger down her thigh and back up to her navel.

"We should think of a name for her", he whispered into the comfortable silence, his breath ghosting across her naked stomach.

"Her?" She replied in the same tone, pushing a hand through his thick hair. "Why are you so sure it's a girl?"

"Oh I know she's a girl." He kissed Rory's pearly skin, "Her and I have been getting to know each other."

The softness in his voice made her heart flutter. She couldn't help but play along.

"Well, you ruled out Lorelai and I'm pretty sure we don't fancy calling her Liz." She felt Jess nod in agreement as his arms slipped under her body, hugging her close. "I like family names, though. What was Liz's mom called?"

"Elizabeth. Guess they did a Lorelai Gilmore with that one. I never even met her." A beat, "My other grandma- Jimmy's mom, was called Emilia. She used to take me to Rhode Island every summer before she died."

"You don't really talk about her much." At his shrug she continued, letting the name roll around her brain. "That's pretty. Emilia Mariano. It's got a bit of Emily Gilmore in it, too. What if it's a boy, though?"

"She's not a boy."

She ignored his stubborn insistence.

"You don't fancy naming him after his father?"

"Nah, I don't really like the name Dean."

He laughed when she smacked his bare shoulder and pulled up so they were face to face, fingers laced.

"Look at us, in our own apartment, naming our baby..."

"I'm so happy", she kissed his palm.

They fell asleep together, noses almost touching and his arm draped protectively over her waist.


	5. Chapter 5

disclaimer: i still dont own gilmore girls or anything

* * *

Rory, with her well established tendency to be anxious that heightened with pregnancy, dragged a begrudging Jess to visit his quasi mother-in-law in Stars Hollow at least twice a month. Her doctor ordered that she should keep her aching legs elevated, so she rode in the passenger side of their crappy car with her feet propped up on the dashboard or hanging out the window, letting the wind cool the sheen of sweat that she had been warned plagued most pregnant women during late North American summer. She would smile contentedly as Jess' hand occasionally drifted from the gear stick to brush against her thigh, her arm, her stomach which was now substantially rounded with their baby.

On this day, much like all the rest, Jess pulled up on the Gilmore drive and stood back as Rory was swept into Lorelai's waiting arms, always baffled at how the best friends acted like they'd been apart for two years rather than two weeks.

"You're so b-", Lorelai began.

"Please no", Rory whined, screwing her eyes closed, " _Please_ don't tell me how big I am, I get it enough at work and from Jess' friends."

"Uhhhhh no, wait, I wasn't going to say that! You're so _beautiful._ So _beguiling._ So b... _asket ball_."

"Wow", Rory laughed, pulling out of her mother's embrace, "You sure know how to make a fat girl feel better."

Jess came up behind them with their duffel bags slung over his shoulder, accepting a one armed hug from Lorelai, the action becoming less awkward each time they met. The the mother and daughter had very briefly but very bitterly fought when Rory first revealed that she was expecting, but all was quickly forgotten and the elder woman's excitement over the prospect of a grandchild now matched her daughters. Jess and Lorelai exchanged genuine pleasantries but had barely made it inside before he was banished to help at the diner whilst the girls went shopping.

"We'll only be a few hours", Rory promised whilst Lorelai changed, winding her arms around his neck and bumping her nose against his cheek in an attempt to combat his consistent, gloomy reluctance, "Luke likes seeing you, plus he's been paying you like $40 an hour since I got pregnant."

"It's not Luke, it's the whole damn town." He let his forehead drop against hers, "Kirk keeps thumping me on the back and you know I hate personal contact, especially from him. Plus, Patty gave me that _double sided_ sheet of name suggestions last month."

"Oh, my poor baby!" She exclaimed melodramatically, "And I happen to think Ginger Rodgers is a wonderful name for our daughter." Kissing his chin twice before moving away as Lorelai breezed into the kitchen, she bustled him towards the door. "Get out of here, I don't want to look at you anymore."

"Love you, too!" He discarded his black denim jacket in the entryway before stepping out into the sun.

* * *

Rory and Lorelai strolled arm-in-arm around the mall in Hartford, savouring the air conditioning and catching up on everything they hadn't shared in their regular phone calls. Slightly repulsed by the thought of touching her trust fund, every last penny Jess and Rory earned that wasn't spent on bills was being saved towards affording a baby in just a few months, so Lorelai delighted in treating her daughter to new stretchy leggings and some floaty sun dresses. As they drove home past a familiar, luxurious neighbourhood, Rory couldn't help but inquire.

"How are grandma and grandpa?"

The elder Gilmore's were heartbroken over Rory's current situation, hating the timing and circumstance and most of all, the boy she had chosen. Rory's attempts to contact them so far been fruitless.

"Um, they're fine. I mean, I think they're fine. They haven't mentioned anything to suggest that they are anything other than fine." Lorelai babbled, purposefully avoided her daughters gaze.

"So you've seen them?"

"Yeah...I kinda went round for dinner last Friday", admitted Lorelai, her hands tightening on the wheel, "I'm sorry."

"What?! No Mom, they're your parents! I don't want you to fall out with them too!" Rory threw up her hands in exasperation, "Hell, I don't even want to be falling out with them."

"Yeah, I know. It just felt weird, y'know? Like I was betraying the team." She continued at her daughters exasperated sigh, "I do think they're coming round, though. Your grandma asked to see the scan picture I keep in my wallet."

"Really?" Rory felt her eyes prick with emotion. "She really asked you that?"

"Oh yeah, babe", Lorelai squeezed her daughters hand, "They'll want to know her, too. They won't make the same mistake twice."

* * *

Rory hid behind the dark windows of the Jeep when her mom pulled up in front of the diner. Worn out and not keen to combat the barrage of townspeople she would surely face as soon as she stepped into the diner. She was considering the best way to heave herself across the centre console and drive back to the house when Jess appeared at the driver's side and slid in.

"I escaped", he turned the key, "If Luke asks, my pregnant girlfriend needed me desperately and I tried to stay but ultimately didn't have a choice."

Rory just chuckled lowly and leaned her temple against the cool window.

He picked up on her fatigue and pulled her to the couch the moment they entered the house, clumsily avoiding Lorelai's neurotic dog who lay, half hidden under the coffee table. He settled her in his lap like a child, kissing her head that rested comfortably against his collarbone.

"Tired?" he asked, writing sloppy capital J's on her bare leg with his finger.

"Always. This whole carrying another person around thing really wares me out." She kissed the spot where his jaw met his neck before cuddling up again, "So, me and Mom devised a plan for our future whilst we were eating."

"Oh, this should be good", he groaned lightly. She ignored him and continued.

"You know that new book you're writing, it's going to become like, a world wide best seller and make us millions-"

"Don't get your hopes up", he interrupted. She silenced him by pressing a finger to his mouth.

"It makes us _millions_ and we buy that town house we always walk past near Fairmount Park, you know the one with the fancy balconies and flower baskets out front, and we move out of our place and have enough room for the four of us."

"Four?" He enquired, ignoring the ridiculous proposition.

"Duh. Me, you, baby and Mom. She wants her own room, preferably with an en-suite and room for a crotchety husband with a large collection of baseball caps and a medium sized dog."

"Never."

"She's small! We won't even notice her apart from the diminishing coffee supply", she teased.

"Never ever."

"Fine! If she can't have her _own_ room maybe she could sleep in with us", she giggled. "There's probably room in the middle."

"Oh, jeez."

"Lane might need a room too, and Zach and the twins. Maybe some girls from work.. Matt and Chris? I'm also planning a small menagerie of pets."

"Oh yeah, sounds great. I hope this house has access to the roof so I can throw myself off it."

She giggled again before they both fell silent, just enjoying each other's company with Jess trailing his index finger from her knee to her hardening stomach and back again, Rory with her heavy eyelids closed, focusing on the rise and fall of his chest.

They were still entwined, conversing in hushed tones with Jess' warm palm spread across Rory's belly when Lorelai stepped into the room, stopping for a second and biting back a swoon at the serenity of the picture. The moment passed quickly.

"Young man! Please stop defiling my daughter." She commanded as she sat heavily on the worn armchair opposite them, covering her eyes dramatically, "The _notorious_ town hoodlum with his hands _all over_ my only daughter. And in my own home! My sweet, innocent, pure-"

Jess scoffed at her choice of adjectives but retracted his hand from where it had crept under Rory's dress at his girlfriend's warning glance.

"I saw Patty on the walk over, she sends her love", Lorelai grinned mischievously, retracting her hand, "And Mrs Kim has given me several book recommendations which condemn what you two are doing and a few more on the best course of action to becoming 'righteous' again."

Jess groaned, his head dropping backwards to rest on the couch cushion.

"Look sharp kids", Lorelai laughed, jumping up, "I need to go change again. Sookie's making us lunch at the inn, I'll pick up Luke and meet you there."

Another groan, louder this time. He allowed Rory to heave him off the sofa and drag him sluggishly into the yard.

"Hey, so I was thinking", be began as they strolled towards town, entwined hands swinging between them, "You know I have that new East coast writer who's book I'm editing?"

"The one who uses too many nature metaphors?"

"Oh, _way_ too many. The girl thinks shes a freaking Keats or something." He stopped himself from starting on one of his favourite rants, "Anyway, she lives in New London and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me tomorrow afternoon. You could go to the beach whilst we work, I'm hoping she'll be nicer to me if she meets you and we try and sell the whole poor, unmarried, adolescent pregnancy thing."

"Oh don't worry, I'll make sure she doesn't hit you or anything", she couldn't help but laugh at his genuine fear, the girl was pretty terrifying from what Matt and Chris had told her. "Is this all a ploy to get this pregnant lady in a bikini?"

"I'm not going to deny that."

"That sounds nice. We haven't taken her to the sea yet." Her voice was sweet, the hand that wasn't laced through his resting on her stomach.

"Weren't you technically pregnant when we visited Jimmy and Sasha in Venice?" He cocked one eyebrow.

"Oh- well- let's not dwell on what happened on _that_ beach", she sputtered, trying unsuccessfully to quell the crimson blush that rose on her cheeks. And then, under her breath, "That's probably what got us into this whole mess in the first place."

He grinned like a Cheshire cat but tactfully choose not to comment. Punching him lightly in the stomach, she let go of his hand and wrapped both arms around his middle, leading him past the antique store and towards the gathering at the inn, which he would never admit felt less horrifying when she was the one dragging him there.


	6. Chapter 6

I originally uploaded this chapter as a one shot, but I think I'll delete it and post it here so I can continue the story. I think it has a few more chapters in it, maybe.

So yeah, just in case you've read this chapter already and think you're going mad.

Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore girls ! My first ever shot at writing, be kind.

* * *

Since earliest childhood, Jess had always woken early on his birthday.

Until middle school, perhaps, he could blame it on childish excitement and anticipation. As he got older, he lay awake with churning anxiety, his mother's flighty, neglectful tendencies meaning he could never be sure whether he would wake to a plethora of brightly wrapped toys or Liz, passed out, who hadn't even bothered to make him breakfast that morning. He was jaded before he even knew what the word meant. On the morning of his sixteenth birthday, his only gift was that Liz was nowhere to be found. He remembers it had rained all day and he cursed the cheesy pathetic fallacy.

He had turned eighteen whilst living above the diner and was mortified when the wad of $20s Luke wedged into his dresser nearly brought him to tears. He remembers feeling oddly bitter when Rory didn't say anything and taking it out on her with weird passive aggression, even though it was logically impossible as he never told her it was his birthday. It had probably rained then too, building a life time association of birthdays with gloom and darkness.

He was snapped out of his angsty trip down memory lane by a sagging in the mattress by his feet and the quiet grunts of a three year old trying to haul her little body onto the tall bed. He closed his eyes and feigned sleep as his daughter crawled her way up his body and settled on his bare torso, unable to fight back a smirk at her characteristic huff at being ignored.

"Hey Emmy," he greeted her, cracking open an eye and noting the hour on his digital clock, "it's still early, why are you up?"

She wiped bleary eyes against his sternum before precariously kneeling forward, balancing with little palms on both his cheeks, "Daddy's birthday!" She half whispered, attempting to emulate the eye roll she'd seen her mother perform many a time, "Happy Birthday, Daddy."

"Thanks honey", he grinned unashamedly as she snuggled back down into his chest, feeling the weight that was usually associated with dwelling too heavily on the past evaporate quietly from behind his eyes. Sitting up slowly, conscious of the figure who lay asleep at his side, he manoeuvred the toddler so she was cradled in his arms, swiping sleep-squished curls away from her forehead. (He was well aware that she would have been using the mattress as a trampoline as soon as her morning brain cleared.) He used to love holding her like this when she was a baby; many petty fights were started with Rory when he interrupted a nap just for a cuddle around the grocery store. She was significantly heavier now and developing a wildness, a hyperactivity which Rory claimed was all from him, and he could see it forming in her sleepy brown eyes as he carried her from the darkened bedroom. It was a Saturday, and he knew the raucous she would create as soon as he set her in front of the TV would deprive Rory from a well deserved lie in, so he devised another plan.

Setting her down as she began to wriggle, he knelt down to her level and looked her seriously in the eye, a hand steadying each of her shoulders.

"Em, you like helping Daddy out in the kitchen right?" At her emphatic nod he grinned and continued, "Lets go to the store and get mommy breakfast, yeah? Like we do at Grandpa Luke's. Go put a sweater on."

He heard her tiny feet slap against the hardwood as he turned to grab a sweater and write Rory a note so she wouldn't freak out should she wake early. He loved this, this domesticity of waking up every day in the same place with the same girl and their daughter in the room across the hall. He loved kissing Rory goodbye before she left for work and walking hand in hand with Emmy to her pre-school. He would pick her up in the afternoon and let her play in her designated area of the office before Rory got off at 5 and they would walk home together, swinging her between them.

"Done", a voice came from behind him and he had to bite back a laugh as he took in Emilia's embellished, pink 'Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas' hoodie that Lorelai had bought her from a weekend trip with Sookie over rain forest pyjama leggings and tiny, black rain boots.

"Perfect." He thinks she gets her taste for the eccentric from her mom.

* * *

The short walk down six Philadelphia city blocks took them almost half an hour, with the toddler insisting on jumping in each puddle and stopping to inspect every snail and beetle that they came across. At one point she became overwhelmed with joy when a fat, ginger cat jumped ran past them down the street.

"Come on, Emmy-Lou", he grinned at his enchanted daughter, swinging her into his arms and carrying her the rest of the way. He held her on his hip as she ordered him around the grocery store, holding up each item for her inspection and even buying the expensive bread because she claimed the bag was prettier. The 8 am frozen-isle clientele smiled at them as she launched, as off-key as her mother, into a sweet song she had learnt at pre-school, her head resting comfortably on his shoulder.

He waited patiently as Emmy told the ageing cashier an elaborate story in her unique, broken toddler speak. The older lady just beamed affectionately and told him his daughter was lovely, slipping a free candy bar into the paper bag. (He didn't like to say that he was already acutely aware.) He hoisted her onto his shoulders as they walked home slowly, wincing as little sneakers hammered against his chest and handfuls of hair were pulled on like horses' reigns. Once back at the apartment, she requested to sit on the counter next to him as he set to work.

"Why don't you read me that story, baby?" He asked, sliding another pancake onto the small mountain he had created. He picked up her scuttling hands which were wondering too close to the hob, pushing a piece of strawberry into one palm and her favourite thick, cardboard book into the other.

"I can't read, Daddy!" She giggled through a mouth full of fruit. She did not let this dissuade her from opening the pages anyway and studying the pictures, chatting as she went.

"I love dogs." She gestured to a page decorated with a large, cartoon puppy, "Like what Gram-ma and Gram-pa Luke has. And kitties. And the _big_ , orange fish." She stretched out her arms for effect, nearly winding him with the solid book, "Oh, and big giraffes! Look, Daddy!"

He laughed, bracketing her body with his as she bounced a little too excitedly, "A big giraffe? You'd like one of those?" She nodded. "Huh. Where are we going to keep him then?"

"He can sleep in my room." She answered immediately, as if she had put a lot of thought into it. "My teacher told me that giraffes like to eat leaves and trees. When Gram-pa Chris took me to the zoo I saw _loads_."

"Huh." He repeated, "Mommy and Daddy have some thinking to do then." He let her down to the floor at her request and she scurried across to the couch, putting her annoying new skill of turning on the TV without adult assistance into practise. The room quickly filled with the clamorous racket from a nonsense cartoon.

As if on queue, a door creaked open and he heard familiar footfalls pad across to where he stood by the stove. He bit his lip and failed to hide his smile as svelte arms wrapped around his middle and a small kiss was planted between his shoulder blades.

"Happy Birthday. I woke up and you weren't there." Rory yawned, her voice husky from misuse, "Shouldn't I be doing this for you?"

"You're supposed to be sleeping in."

"I did. I haven't slept past 8.45 in months."

He turned in her arms, placing his own loosely around her shoulders and tugging the end of her ponytail.

"Plus, the last time you used the oven it wasn't such a roaring success," he reminded her.

"How does it feel to be twenty seven?" Her eyes lit up playfully, "I've got you one of those old person walkers wrapped up in the other room, you know the kind Mrs Hannigan down the hall uses? And a pull along trolley for the groceries. I wanted an electric wheelchair but our budget just wouldn't stretch that far."

"An electric wheelchair?"

"Oh yeah. Taylor used one to get around Stars Hollow when he broke his leg, so you know they're cool. Figured you could skip the subway and ride it to work."

"Seriously, laugh it up but I got up from bed earlier and all my joints cracked." At her cackle, he continued, "It hurt! I swear I'm closer to sixty than thirty." His eyes narrowed suggestively. "How does it feel to be dating an older man?"

She scoffed and gently tugged his hips to meet hers, kissing him gently and open mouthed. Scrunching up the fabric of his sweater with one hand, the other drifted up his spine. She was the only one who really knew what kind of memories birthdays dredged out of the dark and, over time, had learnt how best to calm him down. He pulled away lazily.

"Pretty good then?" He couldn't resist teasing, their faces millimetres apart. "What is that, some kind of freaky fetish?"

"I love you", she whispered, giving up on the banter.

"Mmmloveyoutoo", he mumbled, wrapping his arms around her back and connecting their mouths again.

She could tell he was moments away from pulling the sleep-soft shirt she wore away from her body, both forgetting they weren't the only two people in the small apartment, when they were interrupted by a peel of toddler laughter and a sharp demand for Mommy's attention.

"Our first born requires us", Rory grinned as she pulled out of his arms, speeding off to rescue the little girl who was now stood on the coffee table, double fisting toy zebras. Emilia screamed as she was swept into her Rory's arms, smacking noisy kisses on her mother's cheeks.

"Dear Lord, Jess. What is she wearing?" Rory was sceptical of her boyfriend's ability to dress their daughter since she returned home from a work trip and found her with her hair in a messy topknot, dressed in a shrunken band t-shirt that doubled as a dress and frilly white socks. Since then, she left complete outfits meticulously hung in her wardrobe (and admittedly had the best time organising it) whenever she left them alone for more than a day.

"She picked that out herself! She's so crazy", he chuckled, returning his attention to his pan of bacon, "I swear it's all that coffee you drank when you were pregnant."

"Or all those cigarettes you smoked," she retorted over her shoulder as she set the baby down in her chair.

Still smiling, he saw that outside, the sun had come out. He turned back to his little family, noticing for the first time that Rory's growing belly was beginning to peak through her pyjama top again.


	7. Chapter 7

FIRST OF ALL I would like to thank everyone who has left me a kind review. Thanks especially to those who have commented on my characterisation of Jess, as that's something I struggle with but think is very important. :)

Disclaimer: I still don't own Gilmore Girls or anything.

* * *

"Daddy!" Emilia whipped her head around as the door creaked open, rocketing off the couch dressed in yellow footsie pyjamas with a blanket tied around her shoulders like a hero's cape. Jess dropped his over stuffed rucksack and crouched slightly to absorb the impact of a five year old literally jumping up into his arms.

"Hey, sweetheart." He straightened up, hugging her as tightly as he dared and feeling a weight lift off his shoulders. "You're up late."

"Grandma Lorelai lets me," she whispered conspiratorially, a hand on either of her father's scruffy cheeks. Jess rolled his eyes and greeted the older woman who remained on the couch with a half smile before turning his attention back to the little girl hanging from his neck.

"I missed you."

"You've been away for one whole week." Her voice was muffled as she snuggled into his neck.

"I know."

She pulled back and cast her eyes downwards, picking at the top button of Jess's plaid shirt.

"Have you been a good girl?"

Her little face lit up again.

"Yes! Mommy said I'm a big girl and a good helper _and_ I lost my very first wonky tooth and got five dollars from the tooth fairy." She tapped her bottom lip proudly.

"Five dollars?!", he played at amazement before frowning with genuine disappointment. "I'm sorry I missed that."

"That's okay." She grinned, exposing the gap that her missing milk tooth had left. "Do you want to watch my movie with me?"

"Go watch it with Grandma, okay?" He kissed her cheeks, both eyelids and her temples, making her squirm and giggle before setting her free. "I need to go say hi to your Mom first."

"She's in her room." Lorelai's voice came from the sofa from where she watched the interaction with soft eyes. "She finally got both of them down and I told her to get an early night."

A whimper, followed by a whining cry reached the living room. Lorelai looked up sheepishly from where Emilia was settling on her lap, but Jess was already halfway to the kitchen.

* * *

Rory was woken from blissful sleep by a high pitched wail. Frustrated tears pricking behind her closed eyes, she was about to drag her heavy body from the mattress when a familiar, resonant voice cut through the cries.

"Hey, hey, hey", he crooned, his voice low and comforting. "Hey Rosie, don't cry sweetheart, you'll wake your sister."

Rory watched Jess's silhouette stoop to lift the six month old baby from the crib that had once been her older sister's, rocking her from side to side as he kissed her angry, creased forehead. Her eyes were crinkled but as blue as her mother's, something he had secretly wished for if he and Rory were to have more children. He was doubly enamoured when the day finally came and he was greeted by two sets instead of one.

"Jess?" Rory pushed herself up on shaky arms, slumping back against the headboard of the single bed.

"Hey."

"Is she okay?"

"She's fine, she just needs changing." He busied himself at the makeshift changing table they kept in Stars Hollow, making faces at the baby and grinning as she calmed and gurgled, slipping back into sleep.

"Bring her here." Rory reached out for them with both arms, letting him squeeze onto the twin bed, settling the baby on his chest. She snuggled into his other side, tracing Rosie's downy cheek with her little finger. "You're not supposed to be back until Monday."

"Yeah, well when your crazy mother called me and told me you'd freaked out and brought the girls to Stars Hollow, I came running."

They were silent for a while, watching the baby stretch and wiggle in her sleep. Jess stroked her neck with his thumb, almost covering her entire back with his flat palm.

"Why didn't you call me and tell me you were struggling?"

"I didn't want to trouble you." He raised an eyebrow, not believing her wavering tone. She sighed. "And... I didn't want you to think I was a bad mom."

"What?"

"I feel like a bad mom. Rosie and Maddie have both decided to start teething and Emmy was going stir crazy because I couldn't even take her out to buy groceries without one of them throwing a fit in the middle of the store." She felt tears rise in the back of her throat, "There's three of them, did you know that?"

"Yeah, I've noticed."

"Well, when you're not here- I've only got one set of arms, y'know? You've never been away for that long before. I'm almost 30, Jess and I can't even look after my own kids by myself for a week without running home to my mother. Hell, I didn't even know she needed a diaper change."

His face contorted in confusion at her crazy talk, a common symptom when she was particularly stressed and sleep deprived. He searched for the right words to make her feel better.

"Rory, do you remember when Emmy was a baby and we didn't know how to strap her into her stroller properly?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Do you remember?" He persisted, "We tried it so many ways before we got her in right."

"Yeah I do", she chuckled. "She kept tipping out onto her butt."

"Yeah, that happened like four times. People in the park looked at us like we were dropping her on purpose."

"She didn't even flinch, she thought it was a ride or something", Rory had to smile at the memory, sniffling against his soft, cotton shirt, "Why are you reminding me about this? It's making me feel worse."

"I'm reminding you because even though we did that, and made more than a few more other mistakes, that girl worships her mom. She tried to take a framed picture of you to school for show and tell last month. You're the best mom, Rory, just ask your daughter."

Rory closed her eyes, letting the peace of Jess's presence and the smell of his cologne wash over her in waves. She didn't feel in the mood for argument, so instead changed the subject.

"I didn't ruin your last meeting, did I?"

"Nah", Jess responded, brushing a kiss against her temple, "I was pretty much wrapping stuff up when Lorelai called. You basically gave me a free pass on dinner, so thanks."

"And?"

"And, what?" He dead panned.

"And how did it go?" Rory insisted excitedly, tapping on his chest impatiently with her palm and forgetting to whisper in the presence of the sleeping babies. Jess shushed her and grinned, pressing another kiss to the crown of her head.

"Let's just say, you know that new kitchen you've been wanting? Start shopping."

"Really?!" Rory lifted her head off his chest with some effort, her eyes wide and blue. At his nod she lay down again, sighing kissing the spot that her lips touched. "I'm so proud of you."

Jess just smiled, allowing her to get comfortable and watched as she fell asleep on his shoulder. He sat awake throughout the night, keeping watch over the two girls asleep on his chest until the baby across the room decided to interrupt the tranquillity again, hungry for her first feed.

* * *

Jess decided what Rory needed was to get out of her slippers and eat something that wasn't left overs from Emilia's plate, so he siddled up behind her the next morning and told her to cancel her plans for the evening and put on something fancy.

Lorelai and Luke didn't need to be asked twice to take the girls for the night. Jess observed from the doorway as Luke sat, stony faced, through the opening credits of a Disney movie, Emilia sprawled lazily on his lap. Lorelai lounged on the rug, talking her small audience through the vast selection of candy she had arranged on the coffee table. Jess had to smile as his uncle ran an absent hand through his granddaughter's unruly hair, recognising a lot of himself in how his prickly moroseness dissipated in the presence of an adorable 5 year old. The babies lay squawking and chatting on the intricate bed of pillows and blankets that their older sister had built on the living room floor.

He strolled to Rory's old room, feeling his almost jaw drop as he watched her lean into the mirror to check her makeup. She was dressed in a burgundy skirt that breezed around her calves and a black camisole with intricate straps, her hair swept up and exposing her marble decolletage. He hadn't seen her in anything other than leggings and nursing shirts in months and drank in the sight of her from where he stood, leaning against the open door.

"Why are you staring at me?" She caught his eye in the mirror.

"Can't a guy look at his wife?" He came up behind her, slipping his arms around her waist. She squeezed his forearm, admiring the contrast of tanned skin against the crisp white of his rolled shirt sleeves before closing her eyes as he kissed down her exposed shoulder.

"Where are we going tonight?" She asked.

"Not telling", he murdered between kisses.

"It's that Italian restaurant in Woodbridge, isn't it?" She raised an eyebrow, turning in his arms and lifting her own to circle his neck, playing with the hair at the base of his skull.

"Shit, how did you know that?" He grinned, settling his hands on her hips and fitting their lower bodies together. The feeling of her nails against his scalp made his eyelids flutter, their six day separation suddenly hitting him like a ton of bricks. The girls had been glued to his lap, arms or hips all day, meaning he and Rory had barely been able to touch each other.

"Because it's the only place within a fifteen mile radius which requires me to change out of my sweatpants."

"You look nice." He murmured, never one for waxing poetic. Tightening his arms around her middle, he walked them backwards until her back was to the wall.

She grinned and kissed him fully, her tall shoes making them the same height as her hands moved from his hair to grip his hips. He groaned and cupped her face in his palms, pressing her lithe body further into the wood chip as he searched for some friction. Feeling her short nails scrape up his back through his shirt, he groaned again, louder this time. Rory smiled into the embrace, pulling her head away so she could speak.

"You know there's innocent ears and minds just across the hall."

"I'm sure Luke can take it." He whispered, kissing the side of her mouth, her cheek, her ear.

"I was talking about our children."

"I know." He kissed along her jaw, open mouthed. "Hey, I've got an idea." Another kiss. "Let's skip dinner and go straight to Luke's apartment."

"And what's in Luke's apartment?"

"Quiet. And Sex with me." She giggled at his bluntness as he eyed her seriously. "We can just do it here if you really want. I'll hang a sock on the door."

"Honey, I love you, but I need pasta. And cheese. And lots of it."

"Okay fine, but lets go now", he conceded, making no move to release her. "The quicker we get there the quicker we can go back to Luke's apartment."

"Sounds good," She kissed his nose and winked, moving out of his arms, "but first, I've got to pump."

"I bet you say that to all the boys", he laughed and tapped her bottom as she slid past him, falling onto the bed as she scrabbled around in her bag.


End file.
